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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29287257">Family</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister'>CorinaLannister</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Crying, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Memories, Michonne (Walking Dead) Centric, Michonne (Walking Dead) pov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:34:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29287257</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Michonne always had a hard time expressing how she was feeling, more a hard time trusting others than anything else, especially with what was happening across the globe. There were things she kept bottled up, things which she didn’t talk about. The world as it was, was no place for her to air her past. The walking dead roamed the earth, no one needed to hear about her problems, they were inconsequential. She had seen many things, been on the side lines as many abhorrent things occurred. If she could have stopped them, she would have. There were times she had felt powerless.</p><p>A huge what if story which focuses on Michonne and her thoughts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rick Grimes/Michonne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Black Is Beautiful 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersforgraves/gifts">flowersforgraves</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Hilltop was a quiet place, yet it was thriving with activity and bountiful harvests all the same. They were living instead of just surviving. There was only one thing wrong with the picture, there was no Rick. As Michonne sat in her chair, in the room she shared with Maggie, sharpening her blade, she thought back on the decisions which had led her up to this point. 

</p><p>Michonne always had a hard time expressing how she was feeling, more a hard time trusting others than anything else, especially with what was happening across the globe. There were things she kept bottled up, things which she didn’t talk about. The world as it was, was no place for her to air her past. The walking dead roamed the earth, no one needed to hear about her problems, they were inconsequential. She had seen many things, been on the side lines as many abhorrent things occurred. If she could have stopped them, she would have. There were times she had felt powerless.  </p><p>Or rather, that was her outlook until she met a woman. Andrea. That woman had set her life on its current course. Belatedly Michonne thanked her, it was because of her she had found the group of people at a prison, a group of people who she could come to rely on. They changed her life in more ways than one. She had been accepted after she had bought a meagre offering, one basket was it all took for them to begin to open up to her. And if she hadn’t seen or overheard what was needed, she might have missed them entirely. Michonne might’ve been alone in the world once more. </p><p>Even then, she had taken a while to be fully accepted into the group. Michonne had also been pulled in two directions at the time. To Andrea or the group at the prison. To make matters worse Andrea had been a part of the group, divided loyalties, those could eat a person up. Michonne had already left Andrea once, that decision had been weighing down on her too. They had relied on each other once, then due to differences between their ideas of safety they had parted from each other. Her powers at persuading her to leave with her had failed, Andrea has chosen not to follow her. Michonne would have gone to the ends of the earth for her, but Andrea had chosen walls, and a place which Michonne had some very bad hunches about. A place which there were secrets in abundance. It turned out that Michonne had been in the right. Nothing good had happened at that place.</p><p>It was only after everything went down at Woodbury that she felt like she was a real part of the group. She had made her choice. Maybe if she had stayed at Woodbury things would’ve been different. Maybe if she had convinced Andrea to leave things would’ve been different. But then again maybe not. Besides she wouldn’t change her path for anything, even if she could go back in time.  </p><p>With a sign Michonne decided that it did not do to dwell on past mistakes, but to think about some of the good memories. Her time spent with everyone at the prison was much nicer. There was one person whom she was starting to get close to, Rick. The one person who she felt comfortable sharing things with. Yes, there had been no trust at first, but in the end, they became a family. </p><p>They could talk at length about anything and everything. In fact, they were at the point in their relationship where they could oppose each other’s views without thought. They were each other’s equals..</p><p>Whenever they left any safe zones, they knew they could rely on each other. Michonne trusted him with her life In the face of adversary, they could overcome anything, as long as they were together. Put them in a room, her with her katana, him with his gun, and they could fight through anything thrown at them. They lent their strength when they were in sight of each other. Both fighting not only for their own survival, but the other persons too. </p><p>Then, came the memories of the dreaded day where everything came crumbling down around her. It had only been a routine supply run. A quick in and out. Her thoughts turned stormer, making her accidentally nick her fingers on her own blade, she paid that no mind as she was lost in the memory. The place was supposed to be secure, yet they had been separated, due to a large group of zombies, Michonne had not a clue as to how the recon team had missed them. They had been given no warning before the group was upon them. Michonne could remember this particular memory very vividly, the stench of them all on the wind too. After they had been separated, there was a moment when Michonne thought that Rick was dead, her heart ached, her chest hurt, and a rage overcame her. She had lost her best friend. Michonne had found a renewed strength, fighting through a hoard of the undead to get to Ricks last known location, the feeling of dread never leaving her. She was like a transformed person. Her katana found its targets each and every time she swung. Sometimes she would fell more than one with each swing.<br/>
</p><p>When she did discover Rick lying on the ground with his eyes shut. Everything came pouring out. All the times she had previously held her emotions in check. Appearing to be strong had finally taken its toll on her. </p><p>Michonne pressed on, closer to the Ricks form. She saw that his eyes were open, looking at her. He was alive. The sight made her make a possibly fatal mistake, she dropped her katana to the floor when bringing her hand up to her face. </p><p>“Michonne?” he questioned. That was all it took for her. That one word to cause her to open herself up to him. All the tears which she didn’t know she was holding in, the emotion which had been brewing finally came out as she hugged him. She all but ignored his groan as she clutched him tightly to her.<br/>
</p><p>
“Rick…I thought you were gone,” Michonne said through her tears, her vision blurring. </p><p>“I’m still here,” Rick replied, clutching his side, his eyes never leaving Michonne’s. He was hurt, but he would heal, and that filled Michonne with relief. Pure unadulterated joy flooded through her to see him still alive and well. More tears flew from her eyes, she couldn’t stop them. </p><p>Rick hugged her back, though he patted her on the back a few times, a sign of reassurance. </p><p>“Easy there, I think I may need to take it easy the next few days,” Rick said, pained, when Michonne went to do the same to him. The pat on the back, hurting him more than he let on. </p><p>“Of course. Do you think you’re ready to start heading back?” Michonne said, pulling away from their hug, to check his body for signs of being bitten. Her eyes assessed all part of him that were visible to her. She even went to lift his shirt before his larger hands engulfed her smaller ones, stopping her from her current task. </p><p>She looked directly at him then. </p><p>“I’m not bit. I'm fine. There's nothing for you to worry about,” Rick said, quickly to allay her fears. Rick had a chance to see her face closely, her tear stained cheeks calling out to him. He wiped away her tears, but only succeeded in wiping dirt across her face. He didn’t have it in him to tell her what had just transpired as she was smiling at him, “Just give me a few moments, then we can be on our way.” </p><p>Michonne nodded in response, whether Rick was well enough to go right away, or just wanting to spend a few more moments alone with her, she didn’t care. Michonne didn't know it then, but Rick had successfully distracted her from her task of checking for wounds. </p><p>“Don’t you dare do that to me again,” Michonne said angrily, pointing a finger at him.  </p><p>“I don’t think it’s anything I’d like to try anytime again soon,” Rick replied, his voice portraying nothing but the truth. </p><p>“Well, do go getting any more clever ideas. We might not be so lucky next time.” </p><p>“Let us not forget that we just found the goldmine of food. The whole of the safe zone will be well fed for at least a month,” Rick looked like he wanted to say something more, but Michonne let it go. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” Michonne said warmly, her mind wandering back to the reason they were out there in the first place. </p><p><i>Family.</i> </p><p>And that, that was how she remembered Rick. He lived on in her memories. 

Michonne was bought back to the present when there was a knock on the door, it was her time for guard duty. She quickly finished what she was doing, taking the time to study the sharpness of her blade. If her hand was anything to go by it was ready to be used once more. Turning it over in her hands she placed a kiss to the edge of her fingertips before touching the inscription on the side of the blade, the name Rick so that he was with her still, always. </p>
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